I never knew that my design style was “French Eclectic.” This is described as: “French Country, like its name, somehow manages to both be formal and casual, classy and unassuming at the same time. You like your spaces to feel inviting from the moment you (or your guest) opens the front door and this feeling should continue even after you’ve entered your most formal room. Even though there are French antiques here and gold details there, the rustic elements provide a balance and warmth that seems to say, ‘come in, relax and stay a while.’ Your love of antiques leads you to flea markets, garage sales and hours of eBay hunting.”

I’m on vacation this week and asked a few friends to fill in for me. Today’s guest is Averill fromOdi et Amo. I found Odi et Amo through my good friend Christy ofA Lil’ Welsh Rarebit. She had been telling me for months that I needed to check out her Averill’s design blog, and once I did, I couldn’t believe it took me so long. She has such a great eye and everything she writes is so well thought out and researched. Her blog offers far more than just eye candy, and I’m so happy she agreed to fill in for me today!

Welcome Averill!

{Sea Island, Georgia}

Hi! I’m Averill from Odi et Amo and I’m thrilled to be guest blogging today for Kate here at Wishing True while she’s away on vacation. (Of which I am very envious.) With summer in full swing, I’ve transitioned into full on vacation-mode. Since I already took my summer trip in early June (Note to self: next summer, be sure to schedule trip for later in July or August to avoid the summer blues of having taken your trip far too early), I’m resigned to daydreaming about beautiful beaches, idyllic coastal towns and (of course) beautiful and idyllic coastal cottages. Please join me as I indulge in a little virtual vacation to Sea Island, Georgia, and to a gorgeous family vacation home designed by Jim Howard (husband to one of my favorite designers, Phoebe Howard).

The formal living room is striking and elegant, but not fussy thanks to a bare floor, plenty of texture and that fabulous wall color (Benjamin Moore‘s Shenendoah). The pops of fuchsia flowers and throw effortlessly create visual contrast and a sense of fun.

The custom balustrade (designed by Jim Howard, who is an architect by training) is whimsical, but still elegant. The undulating shape of the wrought iron mimics the waves outside the door.

The casual, two-story den is where I imagine the family spends most of their time (when they aren’t outside enjoying the beaches or golf courses, that is). The color palette from the living room is brought in here as well, but dressed down further with wicker furniture, bamboo blinds and plush upholstery.

The dining room is perfectly suited for large, casual family dinners. The linen-upholstered walls are elegant, but dressed down and look beautiful with the gilt sunburst mirrors and antique oak sawhorse table.

The Vitruvian scroll molding in the dining room is a more overt reference to the ocean. It’s absolutely beautiful, isn’t it? Good design is so often about the small details.

I love the open, airy feel of this kitchen. While I’m a huge fan of color, I can always appreciate a predominately white kitchen. The stained island provides contrast and brings out the golden tones in the marble countertop. The valence adds the sole hit of pattern.

I’m also a fan of white bathrooms, especially with more traditional fittings and tile. And that scalloped pendant by Barbara Barry has been on my wish list for years now.

I love the crisp canopy of this bedroom: it reminds me so much of an outdoor awning or umbrella. The bench’s double row of nailheads is an elegant spot to put your flip flops on in the morning. The layers of blue in this room are also beautiful, from the softer wallcolor (BM’s pearl gray) to the more vivid, intense teals of the bench seat and gourd lamp.

The distressed-oak ceiling is the real star of the master bedroom, and the tall canopy bed only serves to further bring focus to it. Gauzy white sheers puddle around the canopy, reminiscent of mosquito netting and enhancing the tropical vibe. The steely blue carpet grounds the space and injects a bit of color into the otherwise neutral room. A pair of x-benches are a great way to finish off a bedroom and work in just about any interior.

I’m on vacation this week and asked a few friends to fill in for me. Today’s guest is Mariska Meijers, an Amsterdam based artist and designer whom I’ve writtenabout before. She’s living my fantasy life (or at least one of them), painting, designing and even writing in her blog,I Used to be Snow White But I Drifted. So you can just imagine how thrilled I am to have her here as my guest. I truly am.

Welcome Mariska!

I felt honoured when Kate asked me to do a guest post on her blog. It is my first one and therefore quite an adventure not having the comfort of my own stage!

The title Wishing True fits me like a glove as not so long ago this former corporate girl was still wishing to be an artist/designer and today it is true!

But back to Kate. She is a busy girl. I do not know how she juggles all three(!) blogs and her full family & social schedule. So respectfully I say this one is for you Kate, and thank you for asking me!

Describing Wishing True, Kate says it is her “pretty things blog” so I decided to rummage through my paper files and select some images that inspire me. Some are already a few years old so forgive me if I can not always recall its source. For me the connection between the pictures is that they all represent warm eclectic interiors with great use of colours and each having their own personality.

Flamboyant interiors of French stylist, designer and decorator, Philippe Model

As I clicked through his portfolio images, I was struck by the subtle elegance of his work. Sure – he had plenty of brighter palettes for different clients, but it seemed like each project had traces of this timeless style and taste:

These spaces manage to be current without the risk of looking dated in a few years. I would never say his work is “traditional” but it’s so far from trendy that it would appeal to any old money maven’s design sensibilities.

With the exception of some accessorizing, these unique designs have some serious staying power. Of course, the people who can afford this level of professional decorating typically redecorate every few years…but if the market crashes again, they’re set for at least double that!

I was just perusing the new issue of Nesting Newbies, a cute online magazine, and I found myself doing a double take.

There on pages 142-149 was Melisa’s nursery! Or more accurately, her daughter, Devon’s nursery. Melisa of the lil bee fame, won possibly one of the best giveaway prizes in the history of blog…um…giveaway prizes. Free interior decorating services!

Here are some images from the article (as well as a few from Melisa and Michele’s sites):

Love love love the yellow paint color! But then you’d never guess that by glancing at my blog…

Now maybe I missed something…but I haven’t seen any recent posts about online magazine features on the lil bee… Anyway – it was a fun surprise and I’m so pleased for the lovely and talented Melisa that she won such a fabulous prize AND got some great press for her wonderful websites (the second of course, is her genius creation, Feather Report).

Also – am I the only one who noticed that both designer and client have unusual name spellings in which an “l” is dropped? Weird. Or maybe not weird…maybe just an exaggerated reaction that could be sign that it’s time for me to go to bed already! ‘Night.

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Kate Coveny Hood

Hi! I'm Kate, a mother of three who wages a daily battle against wrinkles, dust, a lack of personal time and the constant arrows that having a special needs child shoots directly into one’s heart. I first hit publish on The Big Piece of Cake in 2008 when I planned to write "a humor blog." Since then I've lost any semblance of focus. Sometimes I say interesting things...and sometimes I just say things. Visit me here for varying levels of insight and over sharing.